Private company

South West African Airways

Airline in South West Africa (now Namibia),1930–1935

South West African Airways (SWAA) was the first commercial air service in South West Africa (now Namibia). It operated from 1930 until 1935, when it was taken over by South African Airways.2 It is headquartered in Windhoek.1 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1930Founded1
  • HeadquartersWindhoek1

South West African Airways (SWAA) was the first commercial air service in South West Africa (now Namibia). It operated from 1930 until 1935, when it was taken over by South African Airways.2

The story

South African military forces occupied German South West Africa during World War I, and South Africa continued to administer the territory after the war, under a mandate from the League of Nations.

In 1930, the administration invited tenders for an air mail and passenger carrier service. The successful tenderer was the Junkers aircraft company in Germany, which then formed South West African Airways. Naturally, SWAA's fleet consisted of Junkers. The company was founded by F. Hoepfner, a German air ministry official. Regular flight services started in August 1931. The crew's chief pilot was the British aviator F.C.J. Fry.

The SWAA's red and white logo depicted three stylised aircraft within a circle.

SWAA flew passengers on routes in South West Africa, and into South Africa, and an air-mail service from Windhoek and Kimberley.

In 1932, SWAA amalgamated with Union Airways in South Africa, but continued to operate under its own name. In 1935, South African Airways, which had taken over Union Airways in 1934, bought out SWAA for 14,000 rands.

From Wikipedia’s article on South West African Airways, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3

Products and brands

2 Junkers A50

1 Junkers F.13

From Wikipedia’s article on South West African Airways, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3

Timeline

  1. 1935Dissolved Dissolved1
  2. 1930Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3